Helios
by Elenea Galad
Summary: A tale of discovery, of failure, of despair, and of learning to live again. When darkness prevails, it is then that we truly learn to see, and this is what Katara learns through the eyes of a stranger who isn't so strange after all. Pairings undecided.
1. Chapter 1

Helios

_A tale of discovery, of failure, of despair, and of learning to live again. _

* * *

Chapter 1

"I'm sorry, Aang, but I agree with them."

Aang sighed. He couldn't go against his friends and the Earth King.

"All right. It seems the best way to free Ba Sing Se is to defeat the Fire Lord."

Katara finished packing the few things they had left and handed the bag to Sokka before refilling her water bag at the well. The village had wanted to give them more but none of them could bring themselves to take from those that had so little to begin with.

"We found Jeong Jeong by accident the first time. What makes you think we can find him now?"

"Look on the bright side, Twinkle Toes," Toph smiled.

Aang looked away from the village, away from them all, to the undetermined horizon. How could there be a bright side among all this destruction?

Katara turned her gaze back to the Earth Kingdom stronghold, now so far in the distance. Her hand strayed to her mother's necklace and she remembered the words that had made her believe, if only for an instant, that maybe, he wasn't as bad as the others.

"_The Fire Nation took my mother away from me." _

"_We have that in common." _

Her eyes hardened. "We're going to have to be tougher than ever before. We can't trust anyone but each other. After today, we'll be deep in Fire Nation country."

They all looked up and met her gaze before nodding. This would be the most dangerous stretch of their journey.

* * *

The air was choking, the wood wet from the previous night's rain causing the walls to splinter and fill the wind with smoke, ash, and deadly fragments of the forest. He pushed himself on through the bracken debris to where he knew the fire had started.

A dying branch fell on his cloak, snatching him back and setting the Earth Kingdom fabric on fire. He tore out of the cloth before it stopped him and raced on, branches scratching at his face and bare arms,

Something behind him exploded. He twisted even as it forced him into the air, bending the fire as it engulfed him and landing on his feet in the clearing marred only by a burning shack. Here was the center of the fire, where its torment had begun.

The door was barred but weakened by the flames. Rushing, it wouldn't give way immediately to his barrage but a second good kick sent the door crushing in upon itself, giving him a small but workable entrance.

He leapt in, sending a scorching cloud of ash and debris up, an involuntary breath filling his lungs with the poison and by an unlucky chance it filled his eyes as well. Coughing and unable to see, he couldn't gather his voice to call to the one he knew was here. Finally, his throat seared and eyes burning, a sound made its way above the crackle of the fire.

"Uncle!"

Pushing through another pile of debris, furiously blinking to clear his sight, he called again and this time heard an answer to his right. His world was a blur but he looked for that blur of green that told him he had reached his goal.

He felt his uncle's hand on his shoulder, heard sketchy words that told him he shouldn't be there. The clink of chains filled his head and he felt for them with shaking hands.

"You were right, Uncle. Now let's go."

Channeling heat through his hands, he pulled through the chains, ignoring the now liquid metal burning into his flesh. His uncle pushed him forward, keeping a hand on his shoulder as they struggled to find a way out.

The beams gave way and burning wood and flooring came down just to the left of them, blocking the way he'd came in. He was pushed to the floor and into what seemed like a tunnel, barely big enough for him to crawl.

"Go! Go now!" his uncle shouted.

He tried to turn but was unable in the small space.

"What about you?"

"GO!"

Only once had he heard his uncle use that tone and that was addressing Zhao at the North Pole. He turned and began working his way out.

It seemed like hours but he could finally feel the brush of cool wind outside the forest. His hand crushed on unhurt grass and he pulled himself out into the night. All was a blur and the smell of fire was close at hand and he turned to off his uncle a hand out of the crawlspace when a large explosion forced him back off his feet.

He flew through the air, crashing backwards into a tree, spasms rolling through his spine and he fell to the earth, his head cracking against what might've been a rock, what might've been a tree root, but didn't matter as the last thoughts that flew through his head were of his uncle as the darkness fully overtook him.

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: What We Cannot See**

The earth trembled again and the shadows gave him no clear picture of the world around him. Dust fell on his head from the shaking roof and he couldn't tell if it was earth-benders or a saber tooth moose lion on a rampage. Something crashed through the roof of the cave where he hid and he tore out into the sunlight.

Trees rushed past and lashed out at him. He knew them only by feel. One caught him on the shoulder and he fell, the earth twisting and rolling beneath him. The warmth on his face told him when he stopped that he was facing the sun but at best his world was a light gray.

That morning he had woken to this hazy world. Waving his hand in front of his face had introduced him to this world of shadows. Any touch to his eyes sent searing blades of pain through his head. The first time he'd nearly blacked out.

He pushed himself to his feet and walked slowly, placing a hand on a shadow tree as he passed to help orientate his movements. Standing made his head pound ruthlessly but he continued on, squinting as he tried to make the world focus a little better.

He continued on until the smell of old fire was thick in the air. The earth crunched and shifted beneath him. What little his eyes could tell him was that the green of the forest was gone, giving way the cold gray of death.

Something caught his foot and ash cascaded into the air as he fell. He was here.

"Uncle!" he called, a strange sound breaking from his throat that he barely recognized as his own voice.

He crawled forward, his hands sifting through the dry ash for something anything. His voice grew stronger as he continued to call out for someone he knew was there, had to be there.

Until, oh Agni, until his hand closed over something that was foreign to the landscape, smooth where wood was rough, solid where ash would crumble, and light where stone was heavy.

It was bone.

He sighed in defeat, cradling the bone in his arms, resting his scarred cheek against the smooth surface. Salty tears scalded his tender eyes but he couldn't hold them back. The world darkened around him and he didn't care, barely finding the strength to move.

* * *

The world shifted and danced as she looked up at through the surface of the water. Closing her eyes, she felt her element move around her. Slowly relaxing, she sank down into the purity until she rested at the bottom.

So many ifs ran through her mind that she could barely concentrate on one before another took its place.

What if Aang hadn't healed?

What if their dad wasn't warned that Ba Sing Se had fallen?

What if Bumi couldn't handle the revolution of Omashu?

What if they couldn't defeat the Fire Lord in time?

What if Zuko hadn't betrayed them?

Katara closed her eyes, running that night through her memory one more time. All Zuko wanted was to go home. So did she. Why did they have to be on different sides?

Well, that's just the way it was.

Unwillingly, she wondered where he was now.

* * *

He fell to his knees in the mud. Cupping the stream water in his free hand, he drank thirstily. Even then he could not quench that gnawing ache in his stomach. He plunged his whole head into the stream, sucking at the moisture greedily.

Coming up for air, he wiped his mouth and stared forward, seeing nothing. Azula had betrayed him once more but this time she had committed the unforgivable. Honor and glory vanished from his mind leaving barely a trace memory. Vengeance grew like a tumor in their place.

Hours passed like days as he rose and walked on and days passed like months. The only day that stood out to him was the day that he woke not to the gray haze he'd become used to but to total darkness. Still he rose and walked on.

The broken bone, marred by dust and smoke, trailed in the path behind him, held limply in his hand.

One day the sounds of a marketplace harried at his ears. Unseen hands pushed at him and he was shoved back. His heel caught on something as he fell and he heard something break. Curses surrounded him and he wrapped his hand around a sharp shard of what had broken as the screech of an ostrich horse added to the chaos.

He felt himself dragged up and half carried half dragged to where the sound had diminished. He heard more curses as he was bodily thrown again into the dirt. Instead of retaliating, he merely rose and checked to make sure he still had the bone.

A hand on his shoulder, gentle and cool, stopped him and almost made him turn.

"Come with me," a voice said.

And he did so.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

She led him by the hand despite his clear aversion to her touch. He stumbled when the ground began to climb and she was there to support him, earning a growl for her efforts. He heard the woman sigh but she dragged him on nonetheless. The sounds of the village died away and he began to relax slightly. Where was she taking him though?

At first the scent of smoke deterred him but the sweet smell of herbs in the smoke helped to draw him on and she led him into a small house. They passed through a large room, at least it felt large, and then into a smaller room where she pressed him onto a small but thick floor mat.

He sat there, clutching the bone to his chest while he listened to her move around.

Then she was in front of him again and he felt her hands on his scar, to which his reaction was a violent withdrawal, crawling backwards until his back hit a wall.

"It's all right," she said softly, moving towards him again.

This time he almost felt her raising her hand towards his face and his hand lashed out, knocking hers back and he felt something fall to the floor and rattle to a stop. Then he heard her sigh.

"Fine," She said and he heard her leave.

He stood and followed the wall until he found a door that led outside. However, he wasn't prepared for the drop and the earth fell away beneath him. He rolled to a stop near the bottom of the hill, new scratches to add to his supply. However, the burns over his eyes and head were now throbbing so bad that standing was impossibility.

It was so bothersome he almost cursed, almost screamed. He lifted his hands and covered his eyes, despairing.

* * *

Aang sighed as he guided Appa above the clouds, using a small map to guess where they might be above the Fire Nation. He was so scared of what might happen now. Sokka kept talking about the solar eclipse and what they could do. He still wanted to find Hakoda and the other Water Tribe warriors and lead a rebellion against the Fire Nation. Somehow, in his heart, Aang didn't think that was the way to go.

Appa groaned and Momo leaped onto his head. Aang glanced up and saw the storm clouds heading their way.

"Maybe we should go around those, Aang," spoke Katara's soothing voice.

Aang shook his head. "I don't see a way around them and if we go lower the Fire Nation could spot us."

"Yes, I'll take random lightning over lightning directed at us any day." Sokka said with his usual level of sarcasm.

Aang didn't turn at the sound of a shoe hitting Sokka. That would be Katara. Then Toph would say…

"Well, I say we should land and wait it out. Get some good ol' earth beneath our feet."

Aang shook his head. "We don't know where we are. What if we land in the middle of a Fire Nation war zone or something like that?"

They fell silent behind him and Aang sighed. He knew that there were constant risks but at the same time, they'd risked so much on the Earth King and his help then Azula and the Dai Li had messed that up horribly. They were running out of options and fast. He didn't want to face the Fire Lord. He was beginning to believe more and more that it was hopeless.

There was no sign of Jeong Jeong. Who else could he get to teach him fire-bending? Sneak into a Fire Nation school? Find some private tutor like Toph had once had?

Zuko?

Aang shook his head at that last thought. Zuko couldn't be trusted. Ever.

* * *

He'd waited until the pain dulled somewhat and crawled to where he could hear the river. He sat beside it listening to the roar of the rapids, the bone clutched in his hands. How could he defeat Azula without being able to see? Could he truly put his trust in the Avatar to succeed? Who would teach him fire-bending? Who could he trust?

This damned scar. It had destroyed his life, tearing him away from all he knew. It was this scar that had killed uncle.

His hand rose almost of its own will to his scar, despite the pain of the tortured flesh near his eyes.

This damned scar.

The world was silent for a moment as he sat by the river, one hand clutched on the bone, the other resting lightly on his scar.

Then his nails hooked and he took into his own face, through the scar tissue until he bled. He clawed at the flesh, releasing the bone for the first time since acquiring it to rip at the burns on his face. He tore the skin and muscle away until the pain became so intense that he blacked out.

* * *

He awoke back in the hut. At least, he was pretty sure it was the hut. It smelled the same. Strange how he had started noticing those little instincts that told him how big a room was and that he could tell he was inside by the smell.

The woman entered again and he realized his head didn't quite hurt as much.

"Rest." She said softly.

Something was pressed to his lips and he was so thirsty that he drank until she took it away and replaced it with plain water which he drank as well. She helped support his head until he was through then pulled the blanket up over his shoulders.

"You have a mild fever but it'll break with rest and care. You sleep now. I'll fix you something to eat when you wake."

His hand traced over the bandages circling most of his entire head, leaving only the lower half of his face and his right cheek and ear exposed. The world started to fade away but he caught a few more words from the woman as they buzzed out.

"My name is Yuzu. Call if you need something."

_

* * *

_

Pairings available by request. Really don't want to do another Zutara but you might convince me.


End file.
